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Race tech: Special machines for Cancellara, Schleck brothers

Race tech: Special machines for Cancellara, Schleck brothers

Specialized were waiting in the wings with a bright yellow frameset in case one of their riders was in yellow. They didn't have to wait long, either, after Fabian Cancellara assumed the role as race leader after winning the prologue

James Huang

Lots of carbon fibre and Specialized's oversized bottom bracket system help yellow jersey wearer Fabian Cancellara put the power down

James Huang

Cancellara's Roman-inspired shield adorns the top tube as usual

James Huang

Zipp get into the game, too, with yellow decals on the 404 carbon tubular wheels

James Huang

Fabian Cancellara was our first rider in yellow after a convincing prologue win

James Huang

Yellow accents adorn Cancellara's SRAM Red LTE DoubleTap lever but shortly after this shot was taken, the hoods were swapped for yellow ones

SRAM's Red LTE group features lots of black anodising accented with yellow highlights. Only top riders in the Tour de France can get it at the moment but consumers will be able to buy their own later this year

James Huang

Cancellara had a bright all-yellow machine to mark his status as GC leader but even his standard bike is special with gold-accented SRAM Red components to celebrate his Olympic gold medal

James Huang

Gold accents are also on Cancellara's SRAM Red DoubleTap levers while his bars get finished with Swiss flag tape

James Huang

Andy Schleck's metal-look Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3 is decorated to celebrate his Luxembourg heritage – and yes, that's brother Frank's bike just next to it

James Huang

The Saxo Bank camp is chock-full of custom painted bikes this year – both Schleck brothers and current race leader Fabian Cancellara all get the treatment but the Luxembourg-themed bikes are decidedly more ornate

We're guessing Andy Schleck is either too fond of this saddle to switch or Prologo haven't had enough time to create a 2010 version

James Huang

SRAM Red derailleurs fitted with oversized Berner carbon fibre cages and pulleys are a hot item at this year's Tour with users including both of the Schleck brothers, team-mate Fabian Cancellara, and Lance Armstrong (Team RadioShack)

Saxo Bank riders have a wide range of Zipp wheels to choose from to suit the day's conditions and weather

James Huang

Specialized were waiting in the wings with a bright yellow frameset in case one of their riders was in yellow. They didn't have to wait long, either, after Fabian Cancellara assumed the role as race leader after winning the prologue

James Huang

Lots of carbon fibre and Specialized's oversized bottom bracket system help yellow jersey wearer Fabian Cancellara put the power down

James Huang

Cancellara's Roman-inspired shield adorns the top tube as usual

James Huang

Zipp get into the game, too, with yellow decals on the 404 carbon tubular wheels

James Huang

Fabian Cancellara was our first rider in yellow after a convincing prologue win

James Huang

Yellow accents adorn Cancellara's SRAM Red LTE DoubleTap lever but shortly after this shot was taken, the hoods were swapped for yellow ones

SRAM's Red LTE group features lots of black anodising accented with yellow highlights. Only top riders in the Tour de France can get it at the moment but consumers will be able to buy their own later this year

James Huang

Cancellara had a bright all-yellow machine to mark his status as GC leader but even his standard bike is special with gold-accented SRAM Red components to celebrate his Olympic gold medal

James Huang

Gold accents are also on Cancellara's SRAM Red DoubleTap levers while his bars get finished with Swiss flag tape

James Huang

Andy Schleck's metal-look Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3 is decorated to celebrate his Luxembourg heritage – and yes, that's brother Frank's bike just next to it

James Huang

The Saxo Bank camp is chock-full of custom painted bikes this year – both Schleck brothers and current race leader Fabian Cancellara all get the treatment but the Luxembourg-themed bikes are decidedly more ornate

We're guessing Andy Schleck is either too fond of this saddle to switch or Prologo haven't had enough time to create a 2010 version

James Huang

SRAM Red derailleurs fitted with oversized Berner carbon fibre cages and pulleys are a hot item at this year's Tour with users including both of the Schleck brothers, team-mate Fabian Cancellara, and Lance Armstrong (Team RadioShack)

Saxo Bank riders have a wide range of Zipp wheels to choose from to suit the day's conditions and weather

James Huang

Image 1 of 29

Saxo Bank riders are keeping team sponsors Specialized awfully busy at this year's Tour de France. While many teams have just one or two riders aboard custom painted machines (if any), Saxo Bank have three – early race leader Fabian Cancellara and general classification contenders Andy and Fränk Schleck – and don't forget about the spares, either.

Cancellara's S-Works Tarmac SL3 is fairly straightforward, being finished in a monotone bright yellow. Adding to the theme are Zipp wheels with matching yellow decals, SRAM's special Red LTE (Limited Tour Edition) transmission and brakes with black anodised aluminium bits and yellow graphics, and yellow brake hoods that were swapped in minutes before the start of Stage 1.

Cancellara would be riding a special machine if he wasn't in yellow, though, as even his standard team-issue bike sports subtle accents to commemorate his status as Olympic time trial champion. Gold graphics decorate his SRAM Red rear derailleur and DoubleTap levers, chainring bolts and Nokon aluminium housing bits are anodised gold, Prologo provide a gold-accented Scratch TR saddle, and Speedplay even get in the game with gold pedal end caps.

All things considered, Cancellara's yellow Tarmac was fairly easy to get together as Specialized supply each of their teams with a collection of appropriately painted framesets to build up as the need arises. The far more ornate finish of the Schleck brothers' bikes took a bit more work, though.

Both identically painted Schleck bikes proudly display the brothers' Luxembourg heritage with a gleaming dark chrome-like base coat plus lion-theme graphics similar to what's found on their national flag. Finishing things off are a few touches of red, white and light blue, blue cable end caps, and the custom Prologo Scratch TR saddles made for the brothers last year.

Finally, all three riders also share a propensity for Wolfgang Berner's unique rear derailleur modification, which comprises a longer pulley cage and oversized 13T/15T upper/lower pulley wheels spliced onto an otherwise standard SRAM Red rear derailleur (the Schlecks use it on their road bikes; Cancellara only uses it for time trials along with Team RadioShack's Lance Armstrong).

Why the fuss? The theory is that the larger pulleys require the chain to bend less as it makes its S-shaped path back up to the cogs, thus creating less friction. SRAM road sports manager Alex Wassmann admits that the company are looking into the possibility of using the concept in production somehow, but says that instrumented testing thus far has been inconclusive. Guess that means we'll have to wait and see, but we wouldn't be surprised to see it as part of a 'Super Red' group we've heard rumblings about for 2012.

SRAM Red derailleurs fitted with Berner cages and pulleys are a hot item at this year's Tour